Constellations: Springtime

Inspired by the arrival of the Equinox, April's Sentient.Art.Film bulletin is themed around 'springtime'. We collect here a number of items that have inspired us that relate to that theme. Keisha submits two spring related releases from Matilde Meireles, Sunnyside and Useful Constraints, and Matt has put together a mixtape of spring related songs that you can listen to below. Rahel shares a story of how she spent her Equinox day, also included below.

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Spring is me surrounded by water, by Rahel.

Transitioning into 2021 felt like bringing lots of residual baggage and uncertainties from 2020. On the equinox I spent so much time sitting by the water. There is something about freshwater that is deeply cleansing. Sitting on rocks, clearing my mind. In those moments of sitting I felt a deep sense of gravity. I felt so much of what had kept me so constricted leave my body. I cried, thanked the water, and showed so much gratitude to the earth for holding me in these moments and to the radiant souls who guided me through the forest to the water.

Springtime lightens the load, shedding the heaviness of the cold months. It’s the time where cleansing and clearing plants start popping up, a reminder that cleansing and clearing bring clarity.

I had spent so much of last year inside and in isolation like so many of us did. A beautiful friend reached out about a trip out west and I immediately said yes. When she reached out there was nothing I wanted more than to be Space, to really be around new and familiar faces, surrounded by nature enjoying the quietness that the mountains bring. I will be in the mountains for about a month. I’m thankful that I get to spend these first weeks of spring in a place that sparks my curiosity and allows room for expansion.

I feel that there is still so much for me to learn by way of flowing with seasonal transitions, yet the best lesson that I’ve learned in this time is that I am at my best when I’m in flow with the rhythms of the earth. To be in that flow I have to be able to shed consistently.

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Sentient.FM - SPRINGTIME, by Matt

Some songs for spring.

TRACKLIST

Joe McPhee - After the Rain (1998)

Eiko Ishibashi - Ask Me How I Sleep At Night (2021)

Setsubun (節分) - Tsundora (2021)

Mica Levi - Blue Shit (2021)

Dwayne Cannan - One Forty Eight (1980)

Valerie June - Fallin’ (2021) (3)

Floating Points & Marta Salogni - Intimate Immensity (Remix) (2021)

超級市場 - M1 (2014)

Joe - Line to Earth (2019)

Duval Timothy - Next Tomorrow (2020)

Bob Brozman & Djeli Mousa Diawara - Ocean Blues (2000)

Zikr · Cheikh Lô (1999)

Toumani Diabaté - Cantelowes (2008)

Irreversible Entanglements - No Más (2020)

Kokoroko - Abusey Junction (2018)

Listen.